logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2021
17m 28s

Where have the UK's lorry drivers gone?

Bbc World Service
About this episode

The UK's suffering a huge shortage of lorry drivers, but where have 100,000 drivers gone? The shortage is now having an impact on everything from chicken in restaurants, to mattresses in furniture shops, fuel at pumps and even beer in pubs. So what's going on? We hear from drivers, driving trainers, retailers and the wholesale industry and what's causing the shortfall and what can be done to solve it.

Picture credit: Getty Images

Up next
Jul 23
Taking stock: Is AI burning cash?
Will Bain is joined by Nga Pham in Hanoi and Takara Small in Toronto. Following the latest results from Alphabet and Tesla, both companies are under pressure to sustain spending as competition in artificial intelligence intensifies. Is Wall Street beginning to question the cost o ... Show More
22m 55s
Apr 7
Headspace: from mindfulness app to military partner
Headspace started life as a mindfulness app. Now it's partnering with the US Navy and investing in artificial intelligence for mental health support.The company's CEO Tom Pickett speaks to us about therapy, the increasing role of technology, and tackling burnout at scale.If you'd ... Show More
17m 28s
Apr 7
Anthropic: the $300bn AI firm at war with the White House
Anthropic’s rise from startup to one of the world’s leading players in artificial intelligence has been staggering, but so in recent weeks has been its row with the US Government.Today, we look at that journey to becoming a 380 billion dollar company, ask why Claude has become on ... Show More
17m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2021
The case of the disappearing truckers
<p>In today's episode for September 29th 2021, we talk about why truck drivers are abandoning their profession altogether and how it's precipitating a crisis in the UK</p> 
4m 16s
Sep 2021
What's the truth behind the UK's fuel crisis?
A severe shortage of truck drivers to bring petrol to the pumps in the United Kingdom means one of world's richest nations is stuck in a fuel crisis.    Is Brexit to blame? And has the issue exposed wider problems within the trucking industry? Join host Imran Khan.  With guests, ... Show More
21m 48s
Jul 2021
Female truckers; Dealing with disappointment; Caitlin Moran; Maternity failings
There is currently a huge shortage of road hauliers in the UK. According to the Road Haulage Association, up to 100,000 more lorry drivers are needed to transport the food, medicines and equipment vital to the UK economy. It’s estimated that 95% of all the products we consume are ... Show More
57m 32s
Oct 2018
Energy: America Needs Truckers
Although the industry is rarely discussed, there’s a 99% chance that almost everything you own spent at least some time on a truck. We discuss how a looming shortage of truck drivers will impact businesses from the energy sector to retail already absorbing the aftermath of tariff ... Show More
27m 17s
Sep 2021
Lorry Seems To Be The Hardest Work
As we brace ourselves for “permanent” shop shortages and price hikes, we hear from lorry driver and transport expert Tom Reddy and Food and Drink Scotland’s James Withers on what’s behind the HGV driver shortages. Plus: how did hapless Education Secretary Gavin Williamson get to ... Show More
1h 2m